Recession is biting hard at Crystal Palace and no amount of goals from Shefki Kuqi will prevent the sale of the striker next month. But manager Neil Warnock is confident that financial hardship will not hamper a genuine promotion bid.

Warnock has been informed that the £13,000-a-week wages for match-winner Kuqi are no longer viable and at least two other big-earners, with midfielder Ben Watson likely to be one of them, will have to be sacrificed.

But Warnock has made it clear he is ready to work on a shoestring. He said: 'It does not help a promotion challenge, but we have got some great kids coming through.

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'I have told the chairman that we have the players at the club to play the right kind of football and I love a challenge.'

Kuqi's fourth goal of the season ensured Palace's third away win in four games and Warnock can climb into the top six with a win over Southampton on Monday night.

Paddy McCarthy, who put Palace ahead with a 40-yard shot that Roy Carroll made a mess of, is likely to play tonight despite breaking his nose at Derby.

These are worrying times for Derby manager Paul Jewell. His only highlight was the first goal for the club for on-loan Charlton striker Luke Varney.